The present invention relates to a method for inflating life rafts whereby the life raft has an inflatable base and two or more inflatable curved supports extending substantially parallel to one another and spanning the base, whereby a cover skin is connected to the base and to the supports and whereby the cover skin and the base together enclose a passenger compartment.
It is known to connect the tubes of the base such with supports that during inflation of the base the pressure medium also flows into the supports. This type of inflation is favorable because the technical expenditure is minimal. However, it is a disadvantage of this type of inflation that waves crashing on the life raft prevent proper unfolding of the cover. One particular problem is that water can collect on the cover skin between two neighboring supports and the water collected there is difficult to remove.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages mentioned above and to prevent that water crashing onto the life raft will collect on the cover skin between adjacent supports so that the cover skin can unfold properly.